ATLANTA, Ga. --- The Black College Hall of Fame has announced their finalists for the Class of 2017. For the second consecutive year Joe '747' Adams has made the list for consideration. Adams is one of 20 players and five coaches, which includes Robert Porcher who spent one season at Tennessee State before transferring to South Carolina State to finish his collegiate career.

The Class of 2017 will be announced on October 26, 2016 and will be enshrined during the ceremony, on February 15, 2017 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adams ranks second at Tennessee State in career passing yards with 8,653. He held the record for 34 years until Michael German completed his career in 2014 with 11 more yards than Adams. The Gulfport, Miss., native is still the most prolific touchdown passer in program history with 30 in 1980 and 75 in his career which stretched from 1977-80.

Adams was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 12th round of the 1981 NFL Draft. He continued his professional career by playing three seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Argonauts and Ottawa Rough Riders.

Porcher spent two seasons at TSU, redshirting in 1987 before playing his lone year for the Big Blue in 1988. The defensive lineman totaled 33 tackles, 21 solos, and three for loss. Porcher also registered a fumble recovery, a quarterback sack and a pass breakup in his first collegiate season.

After South Carolina State, Porcher went on to have a successful 12 year career in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. He was selected in the first round, 26th overall, of the 1992 draft and was a three-time selection for All-Pro and the Pro Bowl, while being named First Team All-NFC in 1999. Porcher ended his career with 603 tackles, 95.5 sacks and one interception.

The two finalists hope to join six other TSU greats who have been previously inducted. Eldridge Dickey and Claude Humphrey entered in 2012, Joe Gilliam, Jr., Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones and John Merritt were enshrined in 2013 and Richard Dent was the latest entrant in 2015.

The Black College Football Hall of Fame was established in October 2009 to honor the greatest football players and coaches from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). The BCFHOF celebrates the historic contributions of Black College Football’s greatest participants, their journeys, and influence on the lives they’ve touched and the sport they love. Its trustees are football legends Mel Blount, James Harris, Willie Lanier, Art Shell and Doug Williams. The Black College Football Hall of Fame is sponsored by The Shack Harris & Doug Williams Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization.